Opening My Senses
by HottahSpots
Summary: 1st chapter was a one shot with no real thought to it, I thought of a plot and kept writing. Basicly Nick is a newsie living life on the streets going through lifes teenage years with normal romance drama. Rewritten as Turbulent Waters.
1. The End

**This story from a mixture of depression, frustration, and a lot on loneliness, not to mention being in the mood for a little bit of fluff.**** Little sappy but sue me. **

**Disclaimer: Do not own newsies. **

**Part 5**

**Niks POV age-15**

He wrapped his arms around me hugging me tight as the tears streamed down my face. Why, why, why? Why did he have to be so mean? The hurt ached through my entire body. I wanted more than anything to hate him for gashing my heart like this. I couldn't bring myself to do it though. I loved him. Loved more than anything else in the world.

Spot lifted my chin and dried my tears with his strong hands. I didn't know why but I felt safe there. Safe from the terror in the back of my mind tearing me apart. My body trembled at the very thought of it. Spot wrapped me in an even tighter hug.

The tears came again. I was distraught, everything was so incomprehensible. He had hurt me. The scene played back though my mind over and over again. They flashed through every time asking myself if I could have done something different instead of just walking away. Walking away from a terror that plagued me now.

The tears came harder now. I pushed my sodden face into Spot's chest in search of more comfort than he was already giving me. I asked so much of him and he so willing to comply. He seemingly ready to walk to the ends of the earth for me. My Spot, the little dot in my life that kept me alive at times like these. I felt blind and deaf to him yet he so open to me.

My legs gave out from under me as the scene played through my mind one more time. The last time. My vision blurred. I felt the darkness called me. I complied letting it encompass me, I was too tired. Too tired to fight it. Too tired to rebel any more.

Spot felt me go limp in his arms and he picked my up cradling me as if I were the most important thing in his life. He carried me far till he reached the destination. He entered and silence was instantaneous. The world seemed to be watching to see what Conlon was to do next.

He placed me down on his own bunk then ordered in a whisper instructions before leaving. He did not return in the morning when I woke up. Flame sent out to find Spot when I awoke but with no prevail. I mourned his absence wishing for the comfort his had given me the night before.

By night fall the weight in my chest had shifted from sorrow of ache to a sorrow of deficiency. I pushed my way to the door where I ventured out into the Brooklyn night. There before me stood a beat up figure brushing the blood from his lip.

My vision focused and I ran forward into his arms. He grasped me with open arms and I opened my sense unto him so that he may feel what I was feeling. Opening my senses hit me hard. Had I loved him or had it been a mistake. Was it Spot that I had had the feeling for? Why had I not realized this? Why had I been so blinded with lust?

Suddenly I hated him with such a burning passion it was uncontrollable. He had kept me from realizing. He was about the foulest thing to me in the entire world. There could be nothing worse then him. Not even the devil himself.

Spot looked down on me with me eyes yelling his love for me. I couldn't control it and the tears came. I was safe though. He couldn't hurt me here. He couldn't touch me. Not while I was in Spot's arms. Spot brushed his lips against me sending a pleasant shiver down my back.

I didn't need to hate Skittery anymore. I was beyond him. Spot had given him what he deserved. Spot had stolen my heart. Skittery could not win it back now.

**Alright I am not a Skittery hater, just needed a bad guy in the story. **


	2. The Beginning

**Part 1- 2 years before the first chapter (The story is not in order, like I started with the end so this just tells you where it comes in with the time line. Oh and none of the following parts will be from my main characters pov, just the first one)**

**~Spot's POV~ age-14 **

            I swigged my drink trying to erase the headache being caused by the noise around me. I should have been used to it by now, but I wasn't it. The ache in my head may have been caused by something else though. I'd dropped another girl. They all looked pretty, or had something about them from a distance, and then I'd get close and get bored

            They'd started to flock to me more since the rumor had started that I would be leader after Caveman. Cave was an excellent leader, in the sense that if you didn't piss him off he didn't hurt you. I liked that about him, although I had pissed him off a few, ok a lot of times. It's my personality; I piss a lot of people off. 

            Girls seem to like a man in charge; Cave had shared this with me once at a bar. While he had said this he had had two sluts sitting on his lap. What if I didn't want sluts though? What if I wanted an ugly girl who could beat Smarts at a match of wits? Would the boys respect a Leader who didn't have two hoes on his arm? Did it matter to me though? Did I want to be leader? Yes, yes I wanted to be leader. I wanted to own Brooklyn. Which newsie didn't?

            She walked into the bar disrupting my thoughts, her voice soaring over the noise to the ears of everyone as she waved her papers through the air. I felt like my territory had been crossed. I didn't recognize her as a Brooklyn. What was she doing selling in Brooklyn? Cave would soak anyone who was selling here without being under his management. 

            As a good little Brooklyn boy and I didn't feel like being beat by Cave for not taking care of it, I approached to tell her off. She wasn't a drop dead gorgeous, not very pretty at all. I guessed her to be only 11 or 12, and figured that I shouldn't be trying to get a girl her age anyway. Brooklyn boys have morals too you know. 

            "'Ey goil, what'chya dink yeh doin'?" I asked with a little slur from my drinking. 

            "Sellin' papes," she replied confidently. 

            "Yeah, yeah, I can see dat what'chya doin' sellin' in a Brooklyn tavern? I ain't evah seen ya in Brooklyn befoah." 

            She seemed a little taken aback by the confrontation I was giving her. Had she been selling her evening addition here long with out anyone knowing? What kind of girl sells by herself in Brooklyn Tavern at only 11, or 12? I swear what an idiot. 

            "Ain't ya a liddle young ta be sellin' by yehself anyway?" I wasn't trying to play big brother here, it just kind of came out that way. 

            "I ain't sellin' by meself," she shot back defensively. "Just lost me partner ta one od de fella's ovah dere. It happens from time to time." 

            I nodded understanding. Her partner was one of the local whores probably. I wondered if she had been with Cave or one of the other guys. This girl was probably going to grow up to be one herself. Or maybe she already was. 

            "Don't you look at me wid disgust like dat," she snapped. "I ain't like dat, I nevah plan on being eidah, even if I'm dyin' on de streets." 

            I laughed. She'd pricked my curiosity now. Reading my thoughts through my face was not an easy thing to do. I figured since I had her here I might as well ask a few questions. 

            "So who ya under?" I wondered. 

            "Manhattan," she replied glancing around her strawberry light brown hair flipping. Aware, this girl had it together. 

            "Manhattan?" I laughed. "What ya doin' all de way in Brooklyn den?"

            She shrugged and muttered something with the same amount of syllables as 'I don't know'.

            "Icy found it wandahing around once, found she could sell a few heah, and den we just started selling heah in de evening." 

            "Icy yeh partnah?" I figured she was but making sure I had clarification never hurt. 

            "Yeah, we's always sold togedah" 

            I realized suddenly that I was off task. It happened from time to time, and I needed to learn how to avoid it. Leaders have to stay right with what they're doing at all times, or so I figured. 

            "Well ya bettah stop sellin' here oah else some Brooklyn may get ya in trouble." 

            "What like you?" she replied back. I hadn't expected it at all. 

            "Maybe," I replied and shot her a smirk. She blushed a light shade of pink and looked down. 

            "Who's yeh new friend?" asked a knock out walking up. The newcomer was at least 13 or 14 and I suspected that it was Icy. I could tell how she got her name, her eyes were ice cold and her very being radiated a cold nature. She was like an iceberg that was easy on the eyes, but if you got to close could sink you. Her black hair hung around her waist swaying as she walked. 

            "Don't know his name but he's t'reatening to get us in trouble if we don't stop sellin' heah," 

            "Is he now?" Icy said getting up in my face. I got right back up into hers letting her know I wouldn't take that. I'd never hit a girl, but I could her hurt in other ways if she pissed me off enough. She backed down slightly smiling. "I know ya. Yeh Spot, Spot Conlon."

            "Dat's right," I smirked and Icy's partner went a light shade of pink again. 

            "Now dat everyone know's me name I'd like to know yeh's." I said curious of who my light shade of pink friend was. 

            "Nick," she said with a similar confidence that she had had at the beginning of our conversation. 

            "Ain't dat a boy's name?" I laughed. 

            "'Ey, me nickname ain't no boy's name," she barked, giving me a little push. 

            I stopped and gave her a menacing glare at my full height. People do not touch Spot Conlon with out repercussions. I was only going to give her a warning this time. 

            "Nah, Nick heah got her name from de time she nicked 2 bits from Varick. He was so pissed when he found out dey was gone right ou' of his pocket." Icy said clearly trying to show off a little bit to me. Whether she was showing off for herself or for Nick was unclear. "I'm Icy." She said smiling her ice cold eyes staring into mine. 

            I nodded showing no emotion. If she was trying to show off, I wasn't going to let on that I was impressed. I was though. Varick was the Manhattan leader, almost as tough and well known as Caveman but with more of a heart. Varick was the kind of guy who could take down anyone but would rather have a drink with them instead, just the kind of leader for Manhattan. 

            "Well it's nice ta meet ya Spot," Icy said winking at me. "We got ta go before it gets dark." 

            "Yeah," Nick agreed. 

            "Bye," I said as they turned to leave me to drink, but drink I would not. I was going back to the Lodging house for a game of poker or two. 

**~*~*~*~Several Weeks Later~*~*~*~**

            Despite my warnings Nick and Icy continued to come to the Tavern and I found I couldn't turn them away. Caveman never came here so they were safe from him and they weren't hurting anyone by selling in the evening to a bunch of drunk who were too drunk to even know they were buying newspapers. 

            Nick sat on some guy's lap that Icy had set her up with. Every time he looked away she would look over and cringe at me. I smirked at her. He was at least 16 and I wondered why he would agree to have an 11 or 12 year old as his goil. Not really goil I should say because they had never met before and it only lasted the night, and nothing happened between them. 

            "Isn't he a little ol' fah ya?" I asked later when he was gone.

            Nick raised an eyebrow at me but still blushed a light rose. She didn't seem amused my question. 

            "I'm 13, yeah he's like 16 but ya said it like I was real little." she shot defensively. 

            "Yeh 13?" I stared amazed yeah maybe 12 but 13? 

            "Yeah, yeah I know I look young fah me age."

**~*~*~*~One Year Later~*~*~*~**

            The light drizzle fell over me lightly as I stepped briskly through the streets. Recently Caveman had started a war with a local gang that had beaten down a few of our younger newsies. Now anytime we saw a member it was straight into battle mode. One was running past me and I took off after him instantaneously. 

            I didn't know then that he was headed towards a fight, and if I had I still would have followed. The chase led me to a dock not far, where an unfair battle was being waged. Caveman was leading the few newsies with him and was getting hit bad. I grabbed my sling shot and began to pellet the rivals with my shooters. 

            My aim was bad then and unsuccessful. Cave finally noticed my unfruitful efforts. I joined him in the raging battle and took quite the beating. I saw Cave's body collapse after a gory blow and fall backwards submerging into the water. Watched in horror as he struggled to the surface for air, my heart stood still. 

            The autumn cold waters were rushing past him quickly pulling him down stream. His body weak from the fight and fatal blows he had received. Caveman had never always loved the water; I prayed that he wouldn't have to leave us through it. The mighty dragon like water wrapped its vicious claws around him. The rabid grasp pulled him under again then let him back up again, again, teasing us that he might make it to the next day. 

             The skirmish continued on without me. I had seen men die before, people I'd come to know, but this was different. New responsibilities weighed down upon me like a heavy yoke. 

(Note if anyone is willing to Beta this story for me I would be super grateful. I would need someone who gets on fairly often so that when I email it to you, you can send it back with in a day or so. You would get to read it before the others and yeah. I only really need one Beta preferably one who really knows grammar, because I don't.)


	3. Part 3

**(Note) I know it's got to be confusing not knowing what Skittery did, but sorry guys you don't get to find out till the last chapter. Just be grateful there will only be five chapters so after this one you only have to wait for 2 more chapters. **

**Part 3-2 months earlier than the first chapter**

**~Racetrack's POV~ age-16 **

            "Who's bettin' dat Skit'll ask Nick ta be his goil?" I asked the nearly full lodging house, which Skittery and Nick hadn't entered yet. 

            There was laughter throughout the lodging house, but no one would take my offer. Seconds later Nick entered with her light brown hair several shades darker from the rain. The laughter died pretty quickly but she was still curious what they'd been laughing about. I shrugged her off and went to go join a poker game. 

            She followed me. Of course I knew she would. Nick was a poker person, she won some, she lost some, and it really didn't matter to her. It mattered to me though. I still wonder how she could not care when she lost a dollar that she would need the next day. 

            "Race, I'll take ya up on da offer," Blink informed me in the middle of our second game. 

            "Alright if he does den ya owe me 50 cents." I said and we shook on it. 

            "What offer?" Nick asked placing down a winning hand. 

            "Uh, It's nuthin'," I replied watching her take all the pot away. I needed to win this bet now. If necessary I would encourage Skittery a little. 

            Just then Icy stormed in to the bunkroom forcefully and immediately everyone in the room hoped that they weren't the reason she was mad. When Icy gets mad it's best to back up and let her vent from a distance or you could let Nick handle it. How the two polar opposites became best friends, no one has a clue. 

            "Nick, we was supposed to go to da tavern tonight and meet ya know who, but when I got dere, ya weren't dere and he wasn't dere. What are ya doing heah?" Icy growled and everyone let out a sigh of relief. 

            She was mad at Nick, so everything was good. Though I did have to feel for who ever 'you know who' was. Probably some guy Icy wanted Nick to meet, which would have probably ruined my bet, by the way. 

            "Neh, forgot," Nick replied continuing with our game. 

            "Neh forgot? How could ya forget? We always go dere… den we come back heah, there's no forgettin' involved."

            "Sorry, I told Skit dat I'd meet him heah today instead of disappearing in de evening like usual." Nick's voice was still calm despite the level of anger Icy had obtained. 

            I smiled. If Skit had asked her to meet him here tonight then he was probably going to ask her to be his girl, which meant another 50 cents for me. Skittery was the kind of guy that you wanted to play poker with because he was so easy to read you'd know when to fold and when not to. The kid needed to learn to be less predictable. 

            "Ya know what, let's make the deal a little better Blink," I said getting a good idea. "If the answah is no den you get yeh money back, if the answah is yes den I get 75 cents." 

            Blink seemed to think it over as Icy continue to wage verbal war with the impartial Nick. He nodded. 

            "Yeah, yeh on Race," Blink challenged and we shook again. I was going to make 75 cents by the next morning, which was good because I'd lost all my earning at Sheep- head's earlier that day. 

            "Alright, but don't forget again. I was all alone dere. Now I'm wondahing where dat boy is," Icy said cooling down. They must have reached an agreement.

            "Probably with one of his goils," Nick muttered. 

            "Naw he dumped his last one de oddah night, he always waits a week 'fore getting' a new one," 

            "Why have I not heoid of dis boy 'fore?" I asked my curiosity growing. It was really obviously he wasn't a Manhattan newsie or they would have used his name. 

            "He's no one, so you haven't hoid of him," Nick replied. 

            "No really who is dis guy?" I pushed; I knew there was a chance with Icy still on verge of erupt. 

            "Yeah, sounds like he goes t'rough goils as quick as Spot Conlon," Blink added. 

            "No one," they chimed in perfect unison. We immediately dropped it. When they start acting like twins it's never a good sign. Last year Mush had pushed them past this warning and had seriously regretted it later. The poor boy is still a little scared and can't be in the same room as Icy without being on the opposite side. 

            "Is Nick here?" Skittery asked walking though the door several games later. 

            "Yeah," she answered herself. I swear Skit nearly skipped in after hearing her voice. I guess he hadn't believed that she would be here. Skittery just isn't a very trusting guy I guess. 

            "Ya well goil, can I tawk ta ya?" I smiled over at Blink knowingly. Blink just shrugged; it was still fifty, fifty if she said yes. Well okay Skittery hadn't asked her yet, but we all knew he was going to. 

            "Sure," Nick replied throwing her cards on the table. 

            "Hey Skit we're in the middle of a game here, can you wait till she wins." Blink protested. 

            Nick looked over at him agreeing. Skittery sighed and nodded. Blink was right; Nick won again. She had won two games this evening, which was pretty good for her, even though she didn't care. After the game finished Skittery stole her away to talk out on the fire escape. 

            Now we couldn't really hear what they were saying, but Boots was listening in a little and it seemed like I might just get my 75 cents. Kid Blink seemed pretty confident too though, which was bad for me. After a few minutes they returned as if they hadn't even left to 'talk'. We looked over at Boots, who shrugged in reply. 

            "So what did ya talk 'bout?" We seemingly teased, but really we were just dying to know the outcome of the bet. 

            "Nick's agreed to be me goil," Skittery announced beaming. I smirked over at Blink who produced the 75 cents when Nick wasn't looking. Unfortunately, Icy was looking and we got quite the death glares from her in the days that followed. She didn't rat on us though thank goodness. 


End file.
